Davis will never be mistaken for New York as our bicycles outnumber the taxis and cabs in town. A taxicab is a door-to-door automotive delivery service. "Taxicab" basically means a vehicle with a taximeter, a device for charging according to time and distance. As taxicabs generally cost more than other forms of transportation (public or private), to save money you might consider using a taxi just to get to your next transport option. Another way you might save money is by sharing your taxi; often taxicabs do not charge more for additional passengers, so the cost per passenger will decrease as the number of passengers increases.

If you do choose to avail yourself of one of our fine taxicabs, make sure to read our page on local taxi etiquette.

Comment: I counted approximately 100 Sacramento taxicabs in the Yellow Pages. I recently took a Sacramento taxi to Davis, cost: $50. I later learned it would have been much cheaper if I'd taken a Davis taxi instead. (Where's DavisWiki when ya need it?!) Sacramento also has ElectriCab, the nation's only(?) electric cab service.

Legislation currently under contemplation could dramatically change the way cab services run in the relatively near future. A federal report has suggested banning cell phone use altogether, with or without hands-free devices. Smaller cab companies, like most of the ones in Davis, have active drivers handle calls. This legislation would presumably require them to hire an office worker to take calls, quite possibly increasing rates. On the other hand, if the report is to be believed, it may also improve safety. Here's an update Mr/Ms motorist, now that the NTSB got your attention.

In addition, various crowdsourced taxi services like Uber and Lyft have been created in recent years. These generally operate by using a smartphone app to dispatch every day people (typically without commercial drivers licenses or commercial insurance). They have been quashed in some locales by explicit law, or by interpretation of existing law. To date, no such determination has been made for Davis. It is worth noting that personal vehicle insurance generally does not cover commercial uses of the vehicle, should you be considering driving for them.